Recruiters who don’t strive to provide outstanding customer service are missing an opportunity to create lasting relationships with candidates and clients.

Imagine this: you’re sitting at your favorite restaurant waiting excitedly for your meal, when suddenly, your server tosses your food carelessly onto the table, refusing to make eye contact with you. Before long, you’re marooned with an empty coffee cup, thinking about how Tom Hanks felt more connected to humanity in Castaway than you do in this very moment. We’ve all been there at some point. Unfortunately, these experiences with non-exemplary customer service often lead people to create inaccurate, negative generalizations of an entire industry. The recruiting industry is no exception to this. Despite the many brilliant professionals who are always “on the ball,” a few bad apples can spoil the barrel for many job candidates and employers seeking help from search firms. Those professionals who don’t strive to provide outstanding customer service are missing an opportunity to create lasting relationships that will further the interests of both their companies and clients. Over the years, I have developed a few key customer service principles that I use during every interaction I have throughput the day. Here are a few: Become a subject matter expert. Sharing your specific knowledge in a meaningful way can help create positive experiences for your customers. Whether you are talking with a prospective client or attempting to solve a problem within your own organization, researching topics like current trends or emerging issues in your industry will develop a more memorable dialogue. Go the extra mile for your clients. Having an...

How many times have you become frustrated with a customer service operation? I would be surprised if everyone hasn’t had a similar, less than positive, experience. This recent encounter of mine may sound familiar: I called a company’s customer service department and I was placed on hold for 20 minutes. Eventually, my call was disconnected. Then, I reconnected with the customer service department and the representative on the line couldn’t help directly. As a result, I was passed off to several of their colleagues, with each person asking me the same questions. Once reaching a customer service professional who could help, I had a great deal of difficulty understanding them. Either their phone system was poor and muffled, or I was connected with their outsourced colleagues in the Philippines or India. In the end, I still did not have a resolution to my problem. As a result, when you do reach a customer service department that is exemplary, it really stands out. What does above-average customer service entail? Here’s what your experience should look like: Consistent: One person should be able to handle and answer the questions and problems of a customer. Avoid passing the person around to your colleagues as much as possible. If you need to enhance your knowledge to solve the issue, find out the answer quickly and remain the consistent contact with the customer. Results-oriented: Be tenacious and find the solution to the problem. Call the customer back to ensure...